The present invention relates generally to computers and, more particularly, to a door assembly and actuator assembly for covering and actuating an optical drive.
Until recently, almost all home personal computers had beige cases. The same was true for computer monitors. However, more recently, personal computers including the computer cases and computer monitors have become fashion accessories for the home and office.
For example, a computer 100 is depicted in FIG. 1A, having a computer case 110 is made from a colorful plastic, such as blue, green or violet. However, the exterior surfaces of components such as an optical compact disc read-only memory CD-ROM drive are still manufactured from a beige plastic material. These components are manufactured in high quantities and are typically available in the standard beige exterior.
In order to still be able to use the standard optical CD-ROMs and harmonize the entire appearance of the computer 100, it is necessary to cover the CD-ROM drive yet still allow the CD drive to be able to open. Other optical drives such as a DVD, a DVD-ROM, a CDRW and a DVDRW also have trays which open and need to be covered to harmonize the appearance of the computer case.
Referring again to FIG. 1A, a CD door assembly 120 is depicted covering a standard CD-ROM 130 (see FIG. 1B). The CD door assembly 120 includes a CD door 122, and an actuating bar assembly 124 pivotably mounted to the CD door 122. The actuating bar assembly 124 includes an exterior activating button 126 to be pressed by a user and an interior actuating portion 128 for making contact with a CD button 132 which is part of the standard CD-ROM 130. As depicted in FIG. 1A, CD door assembly 120 is in a closed position. When a user wants to open the standard CD-ROM 130, the user presses on the actuating button 126 causing the actuating bar 124 to pivot in a counter-clockwise direction as depicted in FIG. 1B. The pivoting action of the actuating bar 124 causes the actuating portion 128 to come into contact with the CD button 132. Once the CD button 132 is actuated, the CD tray 134 will move against the bias of a spring load return 140 causing the CD door assembly 120 to pivot from the vertical closed position depicted in FIG. 1 into a horizontal open position as depicted in FIG. 1B. Ramps 136, 138 are provided on the interior of the CD door 122 to facilitate the door 122 moving to the open horizontal position depicted in FIG. 1B. The spring load return 140 is attached to the actuating bar 124 and urges both the actuating bar 124 and the door 122 towards the closed normal position depicted in FIG. 1A.
There are several possible drawbacks to the described CD door assembly 120. The first disadvantage is that the actuating bar assembly 124 rotates with the door 122 such that when the CD tray 134 is in the open position, it is necessary to push CD tray 134 in a direction towards the standard CD-ROM 130 in order to close the CD tray 134. It is much more desirable to use the CD button 132 to cause the CD tray 134 to retract. Also, because the actuating bar assembly 124 has rotated approximately 90xc2x0, the actuating bar 124 is not in a position to carrying light emitted by the LED 124. Another difficulty with the CD door assembly 120 is that the actuating bar 124 is not fully supported along its length and is only cantilevered from and supported by a single pivot point. Because there is only a single pivot point, the actuating bar assembly may sag over time, and there may be excessive stress on the single pivot point causing breakage of the actuating bar assembly at the pivot point.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a door for covering an optical drive which pivots independently of an actuating bar assembly so that the actuating bar is used to actuate the CD-ROM drive when the CD tray is in the open position.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an actuating bar which can be used to actuate the optical drive to retract the CD tray when the CD tray is in an open position.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an actuating bar having a spring bias independent of a spring bias for the door assembly.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an actuating bar having a guiding feature which guides and supports the actuating bar throughout pivotal movement.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an actuating bar assembly that can carry light emitted by the optical drive when the optical drive is in the open position.
The present invention is directed to a door assembly and separate actuating assembly for covering a standard optical drive, such as a CD-ROM. The CD door is molded of a plastic of a color matching the rest of a computer case. The actuator bar is made of a clear plastic capable of carrying light. The door is pivotably mounted to the case and has a separate spring return. The actuating bar is separately mounted to the computer case at a pivotal mounting portion and has an integral plastic spring to return the actuating bar to its normal position. A guide feature is provided at an opposite end of the actuating bar from the pivotal mounting portion to guide the actuating bar and to provide support.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by a door assembly for an optical drive. The optical drive has at least one LED and an actuating button. A tray holder is movable between an operating position to an open position. The door assembly is mountable to a computer case. A door is pivotably mounted to the computer case and is pivotable between an open position and a closed position. A biasing mechanism is associated with the door for pivoting the door into the closed position from the open position when the tray holder moves from the open position to the operating position. A clear actuator is pivotably mounted to the computer case and is pivotable from a normal position to an actuating position in contact with the actuating button. The actuator has an integral spring biasing the actuator towards the normal position. When the actuator is brought into the actuating position and the at least one LED emits light, the actuator carries the light outwardly to be visible outside the computer case.
The foregoing and other objects of the present invention are achieved by an actuator assembly for an optical drive mounted in a computer case. The optical drive has at least one LED, an actuator button and a tray holder movable between an operating position and an open position. The actuator assembly includes a clear body portion extending horizontally and pivotably mounted to the computer case along a vertical axis. A spring portion biases the body portion in a direction away from the optical drive.
The foregoing and other objects of the present invention are achieved by a method of actuating an optical drive in a computer case. The optical drive has at least one LED, an actuator button and a tray holder movable between an operating position and an open position. The computer case has a door assembly mounted to the computer case and an actuator assembly mounted to the computer case. The method includes pivoting the actuator assembly from a normal position to an actuating position in contact with the actuating button along a first axis against a bias of a biasing mechanism. Following the pivoting step, the door assembly pivots along a second axis while the actuator remains in the first axis.
Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein the preferred embodiments of the invention are shown and described, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated of carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description thereof are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.